Factor replacement therapies
This form of treatment replaces the missing clotting factor in blood to help with clotting and provide protection from bleeds.
How hemophilia is treated.
While hemophilia can’t be cured, it can be treated. Knowing what options are available and understanding how they work can help you have productive conversations with your care team and find the treatment that’s the best fit for you.
Types of treatment
There are several different ways of treating hemophilia. Work with your doctor to better understand how lifestyle, hemophilia severity, and other circumstances may inform how to manage your condition.
Non-factor therapies
Non-factor therapies aim to enhance clotting by mimicking the activity of clotting factors to provide ongoing prophylactic bleed prevention.
Treating hemophilia with factor replacement therapy
Within factor replacement therapy, there are a few key terms to know and options to consider.
Prophylaxis
Infusion treatments are given preventatively at regular intervals.
On-demand
Treatment is delivered as bleeds occur.
Standard half-life (SHL)
SHL therapies are therapies that generally have a half-life of 8-12 hours for factor VIII and 18-40 hours for factor IX.
Extended half-life (EHL)
EHL therapies remain in the bloodstream about 1.5 times longer for factor VIII and up to 5 times longer for factor IX than an SHL, meaning infusions can be delivered less frequently.
Learn about an EHL treatment option for hemophilia A.
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Learn about an EHL treatment option for hemophilia B.
Let’s goHemophilia treatment as unique as you are
Every person is unique, and there are many things to consider when deciding on a hemophilia management strategy with your doctor. While hemophilia A and hemophilia B have similarities, there are important differences between the two that can affect treatment and management.
With hemophilia A, factor replacement therapy stays in the bloodstream. With hemophilia B, factor replacement may travel in and out of the bloodstream. A complete treatment assessment may include looking at multiple PK parameters and outcomes to determine the best treatment.
Individual bleed rates, joint bleed prevention, and personal goals should be considered as part of treatment management discussions with your doctor. Visit our site, The Bigger Picture in Hem B, to learn more.
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Remember: everyone’s body is different.
Age, weight, metabolism, and other elements can affect how quickly the body breaks down factor therapies. Hematologists can build a pharmacokinetics (PK) profile to get a sense of how severe your hemophilia is and the best way to manage it.
Learn more about PK and factor activity.
